Letter: Edgar M. Howell to Mrs. J. Elmer Weisheit, September 30, 1963

[printed letterhead]
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
September 30, 1963
Mrs. J. Elmer Weisheit
The Flag House
844 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland
Dear Mrs. Weisheit:
As you requested in our telephone conversation of 30 September, the following is my personal, as opposed to my curatorial or professional, feeling in the matter of the stripes of the Star Spangled Banner reproduction being prepared for exhibit in the Maryland pavilion at the New York World's Fair.
Mrs. Pickersgill, in making the original flag, obviously had to make do with whatever material was obtainable, probably 36-inch fabric. In order to save material and money, she apparently halved the 36-inch and prepared the stripes by sewing 18-inch and 6-inch widths together. Obviously, if she could have obtained 24-inch or 48-inch material she would never have doubled her sewing labor as she was forced to.
If I were reproducing the flag myself, I would use 24-inch material in the stripes and not piece together 18-inch and 6-inch strips.
Sincerely,
[signed] Edgar M Howell
Edgar M. Howell
Curator
Division of Military History
[handwritten note at bottom of page]
I didn't follow his advice.
Ingreet B. Weisheit
Flag Chairman

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[printed letterhead]
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
September 30, 1963
Mrs. J. Elmer Weisheit
The Flag House
844 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland
Dear Mrs. Weisheit:
As you requested in our telephone conversation of 30 September, the following is my personal, as opposed to my curatorial or professional, feeling in the matter of the stripes of the Star Spangled Banner reproduction being prepared for exhibit in the Maryland pavilion at the New York World's Fair.
Mrs. Pickersgill, in making the original flag, obviously had to make do with whatever material was obtainable, probably 36-inch fabric. In order to save material and money, she apparently halved the 36-inch and prepared the stripes by sewing 18-inch and 6-inch widths together. Obviously, if she could have obtained 24-inch or 48-inch material she would never have doubled her sewing labor as she was forced to.
If I were reproducing the flag myself, I would use 24-inch material in the stripes and not piece together 18-inch and 6-inch strips.
Sincerely,
[signed] Edgar M Howell
Edgar M. Howell
Curator
Division of Military History
[handwritten note at bottom of page]
I didn't follow his advice.
Ingreet B. Weisheit
Flag Chairman